Monday, May 08, 2006
My Object Builder and Composite UI Application Block (CAB) talks
I talked at a couple of sessions at Desert Code Camp this past weekend in Tempe, AZ. If you were there and would like my PowerPoint deck and demos, they are available here:
http://www.neudesic.com/uploads/steve_saxon/desertcodecamp.zip
The two talks were:
Modularize your applications using Object Builder
Enterprise Library January 2006 includes a new base component called Object Builder that lets you significantly modularize your application code and break tight inter-module dependencies through "dependency injection".
Writing loosely coupled WinForms apps using Composite UI Application Block (CAB)
Provides an introduction to CAB. Takes you through how to build your first CAB-based application, and explains why you care.
I am particularly happy about the Object Builder talk, as there is very little information out there on it right now, even though it is the basis for Enterprise Library 2.0. Hopefully my contribution will help you to get started with Object Builder, which will in turn help you get the most out of Enterprise Library 2.0.
If you live in Southern California, I will be giving these same talks at San Diego Code Camp, which is June 24th/25th at the UCSD Extension on the La Jolla campus.
http://www.neudesic.com/uploads/steve_saxon/desertcodecamp.zip
The two talks were:
Modularize your applications using Object Builder
Enterprise Library January 2006 includes a new base component called Object Builder that lets you significantly modularize your application code and break tight inter-module dependencies through "dependency injection".
Writing loosely coupled WinForms apps using Composite UI Application Block (CAB)
Provides an introduction to CAB. Takes you through how to build your first CAB-based application, and explains why you care.
I am particularly happy about the Object Builder talk, as there is very little information out there on it right now, even though it is the basis for Enterprise Library 2.0. Hopefully my contribution will help you to get started with Object Builder, which will in turn help you get the most out of Enterprise Library 2.0.
If you live in Southern California, I will be giving these same talks at San Diego Code Camp, which is June 24th/25th at the UCSD Extension on the La Jolla campus.
Wednesday, May 03, 2006
Imitation Stealing is the sincerest form of flattery
So, much like I like to do here from time to time, Engadget (one of my most-visited sites) likes to wax lyrical about the (probably) upcoming large-screen video iPod.
The funny thing is, despite the myriad mockups of how it could/should work, they've taken to using the one I created and posted last August. I think in large part, this is because I incorporated Rich's suggestion of having the scrollwheel be implemented in software through a touchscreen - something that show up subsequently in patents filed by Apple (though apparently they filed them 6 months before my mockup, so I won't be suing or anything).
Link to their article:
http://www.engadget.com/2006/05/03/portalplayer-still-an-ipod-playa/
The funny thing is, despite the myriad mockups of how it could/should work, they've taken to using the one I created and posted last August. I think in large part, this is because I incorporated Rich's suggestion of having the scrollwheel be implemented in software through a touchscreen - something that show up subsequently in patents filed by Apple (though apparently they filed them 6 months before my mockup, so I won't be suing or anything).
Link to their article:
http://www.engadget.com/2006/05/03/portalplayer-still-an-ipod-playa/
Monday, May 01, 2006
The double edged sword of "A Day without an immigrant"
Today there are rallies by the Hispanic community throughout the nation protesting the proposed immigration reforms and trying to make a point in the most visible way possible.
As part of this, Hispanics illegal or otherwise are being asked to take a day off work, take the kids out of school and so on so the community gets to see what happens when they're not around.
I've got to say this whole thing is pretty risky. It reminds me of the Gay Marriage issue, where several marriage certificates were issued in a highly visible public forum with the media present in full force. This ended up backfiring horribly for the gay marriage advocates, as the horrified evangelicals and right wing voters turned out en masse to back changes to the consitutions of 11 states stating that marriage was only heterosexual.
It seems like that same group is now feeling equally intimidated by the Hispanic community coming out and getting loud for their own rights. The evangelicals don't seem to have a great record on tolerance, so if Bush felt the need to pamper to his base, that could go badly for the immigrant protesters. Perhaps they would have been better off with the status quo.
The other risk with the "a day without an immigrant" approach is that it may not actually have much of an impact. The spokespeople for the immigrant case have been very vocal about how they do the jobs that Americans don't want, but I'm not sure I agree that they're a vital piece of the US economy as they argue, because many of them are in lower paid jobs that means smaller tax revenues and spending power.
On a personal note ... this morning on the radio they had the president of food company talking about how the immigrants deserved to be here illegally because they work so hard. Well, I had to wait 12 years to come to the US because I don't have a college degree. It was an entry requirement for the visa I had. It then took me 3 years and several thousand dollars to convert that to a Green Card. Because I had to wait 12 years, I missed out on many opportunities that would have helped my career and most likely my pocket book too.
So the thing is, I'm a hard worker too. Should I have come here illegally? In the current climate we seem to be saying that is ok. How about all the folks in India and China that are kept out by the cap on H1-B visas ... should they all come in illegally too, and work hard so they are allowed to stay?
I realize its easy to be labeled as a racist on an issue like this, but I don't believe that is the case. What I see is one part of the immigrant community that entered the country illegally asking for special legal status because they were born in neighboring countries, when that same status would not be afforded to citizens of countries outside the area. The Pledge of Allegiance ends with the words "with liberty and justice for all", but does justice support entering the country illegally, or inequality of access between citizens of different countries? Surely the answer must be No on both counts.
As part of this, Hispanics illegal or otherwise are being asked to take a day off work, take the kids out of school and so on so the community gets to see what happens when they're not around.
I've got to say this whole thing is pretty risky. It reminds me of the Gay Marriage issue, where several marriage certificates were issued in a highly visible public forum with the media present in full force. This ended up backfiring horribly for the gay marriage advocates, as the horrified evangelicals and right wing voters turned out en masse to back changes to the consitutions of 11 states stating that marriage was only heterosexual.
It seems like that same group is now feeling equally intimidated by the Hispanic community coming out and getting loud for their own rights. The evangelicals don't seem to have a great record on tolerance, so if Bush felt the need to pamper to his base, that could go badly for the immigrant protesters. Perhaps they would have been better off with the status quo.
The other risk with the "a day without an immigrant" approach is that it may not actually have much of an impact. The spokespeople for the immigrant case have been very vocal about how they do the jobs that Americans don't want, but I'm not sure I agree that they're a vital piece of the US economy as they argue, because many of them are in lower paid jobs that means smaller tax revenues and spending power.
On a personal note ... this morning on the radio they had the president of food company talking about how the immigrants deserved to be here illegally because they work so hard. Well, I had to wait 12 years to come to the US because I don't have a college degree. It was an entry requirement for the visa I had. It then took me 3 years and several thousand dollars to convert that to a Green Card. Because I had to wait 12 years, I missed out on many opportunities that would have helped my career and most likely my pocket book too.
So the thing is, I'm a hard worker too. Should I have come here illegally? In the current climate we seem to be saying that is ok. How about all the folks in India and China that are kept out by the cap on H1-B visas ... should they all come in illegally too, and work hard so they are allowed to stay?
I realize its easy to be labeled as a racist on an issue like this, but I don't believe that is the case. What I see is one part of the immigrant community that entered the country illegally asking for special legal status because they were born in neighboring countries, when that same status would not be afforded to citizens of countries outside the area. The Pledge of Allegiance ends with the words "with liberty and justice for all", but does justice support entering the country illegally, or inequality of access between citizens of different countries? Surely the answer must be No on both counts.
